Cattail is a 4-to-6-foot-tall herbaceous perennial that grows in water, with tall, flat upright leaves  growing in tight clusters and stems carrying a brown roblike spike of female flowers- the “cat’s tail”- topped with a thinner spike of male pollen-bearing flowers. With maturity, the brown spike breaks apart to seedy fluff.  (Typha latifolia) 

(Chehalis)

Large mats, small parts of walls and roofs, capes and coats, corded cattail skirts for women, cattail hats and headbands,

the brown flower heads can be dipped in oil or fat and used as torches,

there insides  stay dry even in heavy rain, pull them apart and use the dry fluffy seeds as a survival tinder.

Many Pacific Northwest tribes (including Alaska Native, Chehalis, Klamath, Nitinaht, and others) have eaten the green flower spikes and shoots boiled or roasted.(Gunther 2,3) 

You can find the cattail in freshwater lakes, ponds, sloughs, and slow-moving rivers. 

You can grow cattails in rich, moist soil in full sun or part shade. They also grow in wet soil and even standing water up to 12 inches deep. Cattails require minimal maintenance. In early spring, cut back spent foliage and flowers if desired, or allow the debris to decompose in place. (Gunther 21,23)